Georgia @ Mississippi State preview
Davis Wade Stadium
Last Meeting ( Oct 21, 2006 ) Mississippi State 24, Georgia 27
One team will get some relief from a rough start to Southeastern Conference play when the Georgia Bulldogs hit the road to take on the Mississippi State Bulldogs on Saturday in Starkville, Miss.
Georgia (1-2 overall, 0-2 SEC) has lost two straight to start conference play, falling 17-6 to South Carolina and 31-24 to Arkansas. The Bulldogs are looking to avoid their first three-game losing streak since 1990 and their first 0-3 start in SEC play since 1993.
Mississippi State (1-2, 0-2) narrowly missed earning its first conference win two weeks ago, falling 17-14 to Auburn, and the Bulldogs dropped their second straight conference contest last week, losing 29-7 at LSU. The Bulldogs held LSU to four field goals in the first half, but they also allowed points on LSU's first seven possessions (two touchdowns, five field goals).
Mississippi State opened the season with a 49-7 win against Memphis, racking up 569 total yards - the fifth-highest mark in school history - but the Bulldogs' offense hasn't done much since. In consecutive conference losses, Mississippi State has averaged 257 total yards and 11.5 points.
Mississippi State uses a two-quarterback rotation with junior Chris Relf and redshirt freshman Tyler Russell. Russell has been much more effective as a passer, completing 63 percent of his passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns, all of which came against Memphis.
Relf presents more of a dual threat. He has thrown for 261 yards and one touchdown and rushed for 92 yards, which is tied for the second-most on the team behind running back Vick Ballard (101 yards, 4 TDs).
It has been Mississippi State's defense that has kept it in its past two games, as the Bulldogs have held their first three opponents to an average of 283 total yards per game.
They'll try to do the same to a Georgia offense that is averaging 340.7 yards and 28.3 points per game but is still searching for an identity.
Georgia once again will be without star receiver A.J. Green, who is serving the last game of a four-game NCAA suspension for selling his Independence Bowl jersey to an individual meeting the NCAA's definition of an agent.
In Green's absence, senior flanker Kris Durham has emerged as the Bulldogs' top receiving threat, catching 13 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown, all of which match or top his previous career-high totals.
Without Green, redshirt freshman quarterback Aaron Murray has been solid, if unspectacular, completing 62 percent of his passes for 605 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions. He has added 36 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
Murray needs more help from the running game, as the Bulldogs have averaged 128 rushing yards per game, with Washaun Ealey leading the way with 162 yards and a score.
Georgia leads the series 16-5 and has won the last nine meetings, most recently a 27-24 win in Athens, Ga., in 2006. Mississippi State's last win against Georgia came in 1974, when they won 34-17 in Jackson, Miss.